The Dangers of Eating Disorders in Athletes

The topic of eating disorders is a relevant issue with today's athletes. In fact, female athletes are one of the highest risk factors for eating disorders. Although many athletes appear healthy, many also may suffer from serious eating disorders that may jeopardize their lives. Since this issue is more prevalent than expected, it is necessary to shed some light on this mysterious disorder. The psychological well-being of a client has an effect on the person's ability to stick to a proper fitness program. Because we strive to look our best, sometimes we may take the wrong route to get there.

There are three primary types of eating disorders: Compulsive Overeating, Anorexia Nervosa, and Bulimia Nervosa. These disorders primarily start as a psychological perception in the affected person's mind. I am not skinny enough; I don't look beautiful or handsome enough, etc...

The first type of eating disorder is compulsive overeating and involves people that eat constantly, with food acting as a comfort or buffer when personal problems arise. Many of us eat when we get bored. Compulsive overeating involves eating for the psyche, bingeing three or more times a week. It does not have to be a daily event to be a problem. Think about it, how many times have we binged when we had a problem that seemed insurmountable or when we were sad and lonely?

Anorexia Nervosa is self-induced starvation. A rapid weight loss of 15% below a person's normal weight would be a red flag that a person has this disorder. Anorexia Nervosa is not as common as Bulimia Nervosa and its effects on the body are devastating. A person suffering from Anorexia Nervosa begins rapidly first losing vital muscle tissue, then body fat. The hair thins and eventually starts falling out, teeth and nails yellow and kidney infections are common. Although others can see the effects of this eating disorder, the victim sees a distorted image of his or herself, which prevents him or her from seeing the devastating effects. The victim may feel fat and bulky, which is what justifies to the individual their behavior.

Bulimia Nervosa is a disorder that involves a binge-purge cycle. The person will binge on food then purge it by throwing up and/or abusing laxatives. Bulimics are often within normal weight range and it is harder to detect a Bulimic then an Anorexic.

The Female Athlete Triad is a name coined to describe three disorders in athletes: Amenorrhea (no menstrual cycle), Osteoporosis, and Eating Disorders. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, the prevalence of eating disorders among female athletes may be as much as 66% in certain sports. These affected women lose bone mass during a time when bone mass should be increasing and peaking. These Triad disorders cause great problems in a woman's musculoskeletal and reproductive systems.

Nothing is worth losing our health and life over. Health should be a primary concern with all of us, athletes or not. We should never sacrifice fitness to look skinny or lose weight. By understanding these disorders, we become better prepared to prevent ourselves from falling into the trap of sacrificing health for beauty.